Automatic display device



Sept. 7 1926. 1,598,651

I w. c. CUTLER AUTOMATIC DISPLAY mmcn Filed August 8', 1923 llTFi 2 V :E I: .L E" Z 1-7 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 7, 1926. i

WILLIAM o. cnrnnn, or ennnnnnn;oALIFoRNIA. AssIe oR To'rsABELLA M.;,

- ournnn or; GLENDALE}; CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC nIsrLAY. DEVICE.

Application filed AugustS, 1923,:Seria 1No; 656,379;

My invention relates to ii'nprovements inexhibiting mechanisms, the object of theinvention being the provision of a mechanism automatically exhibiting one card or at actnne allowing the same to remain for s2 11' in viewposition a-predetermined time un'- til all cards or signs are displzjiyed; one at a. time, then returning the full pack of cards or signs to a starting position; this machine being constantly operated irom and by a suitable motor;

Another object of thi invention is to provide a simple and attractivedisplaying-machine oi this character wnich can use a large number of carriers whereby agreat variety of subjects may be displayed;

Another object is to secure the necessary card-shifting movement and not'disturb' the card displaying action;

or displaying means and operatively associated therewith a novel means restoring the-displaying means tonormal position;

Another object is to produce a device of s character which will be reliable in opout of working order;

1e01 the parts while other parts are opnoise;

With these endother ob ects 111 view, the

invention consists in certain novel i'eatures 5 oi COllStl'UCtlOIl and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described and'polnted out in:

the claims.

in referrin to the accompanying drawin 1 is a cross-sectional view ofmy'de vice with parts broken out for clearness;

2 is'a rear elevation of the mechanism: Fig.

and cabinet with the door removed. 2.- IS a detail view of the card carrying belt. 1 is the case for housing the working parts of my device which is driven by the electric motor 70 receiving power through the wires V out switch 9. The driving pulley 71. is attuched to the grooved pulley M'through the or object is to provide a novelcard- 7, both sidesbeing and have a minimum liability of peer object'is to insure the locking of ng, and to equalize the power and elim- 8 and 11, with a. controlling out belt 72. The groovetlpulleyeJ; to which is attached the pinion 49; botlrrotate on the 1 shaft 48; whichis rotatively attached *to the case 1, at 78. The pinion l9 meshes with the gear wheel 38, which is tied'tothecase 1 through-thebearing 40. The-lowenend oi" the connecting r0d18 lis pivoted torthe gear wheel 88, by the pin 87'; the upper end at 33 is pivoted to the lower end ofthe rack 10, rack 10 being guided on one side by the flanged roller bearings '12, which are rotatively attached to the; side of the;

case 1. The-otherside of the rack-10 having teeth 13 part way up its length; meshes with the pinion 25, which is attached to the gear wheel 22, both rotating onthe stub-shalt 81 which-is attachedto the case 1; the gear wheel-22 meshing witlrthe rack 35, the upperend of which is bent L-shaped at 1e, extending across the case 1, nuclearrying the U-shaped lugs 21, for holding the Calti wires 15, which are attached to the cards 19; the rack 35running inthe; groove down movement by. the guides 3 and 20. The bolts 51, made of metal or other suit guided'in their up and able material, having lu -s16 pressed outof the same leaving-the holes 76",11111' over thepulleys 18 which 'runon the stub-shaft 79, andover the flangedbelt wheels or pulleys .50, both 01" which are secured tothe- F 124. snar lo,

When the pinion 25 gets' to the-end of the teeth 13 M82, the pinion 25 is'heldin this positionby the friction clutch 23' until the rack is carried? down and upagain through that part of the same having no teeth, thus leaving the card l9' on displayduring'this period;

movement it carriesthe card 19 back to stor ing posit-ion, leavmg the ends of'the Wires and whenthe teeth in'pinion 25 again mesh with the rack 10 in 1ts upwardi which in turn" is pivoted to the sides oi? the easel at 78'. Thus startingthe motor 70, rotates the grooved'pulley 47, can

ence; so that a large number of cards may be .kept in compact arrangement in this space, always having sufliclent space for a H) properly raising and lowering a card 19, to

and from the belts 51 which are tied to the flanged belt wheel so they will not slip when power is'applied. The slotted lugs 36 are attached to the flangedbelt wheel 50 at 80,1and are so constructed that when the gear wheel 38, carrying thepin 37, rotates, this pin 37 will enter a slot at an angleto shift thegrooved pulleys 50, just far enough to put thesucceeding card in position to be carried by the .U-shaped lug 21 to displaying position After all cards have been displayed, one at a time in this manner, and at the last movement of the pin 37, entering the slot in lug 36, the pin 62 connects with the lever at61, forcing the lever 60, guided by the roller bearing 63, up, causing the levers 66 and 68, whichare pivoted at 69 and 67 and run in a slot over the pin 64:, to straighten up, forcing the rack 56, to mesh with the gear wheel 38, thus throwing all cards 19 back to starting, position, and

causing the pin 57 to connect with the lever 60 at 59, thus releasing the rack 56, which is attached to the flanged belt wheel 50 at 58, from the gear wheel 38, again allowing the cards 19 to be displayed'one at a time. It can be understood that when the weight of the card 19 is carried up by the motor 71,,the

motor having'more weight exerted against it, would run at less speed than when the card is going down; to equalize this weight I have employed a friction clutch 43, tied to the case 1 at 42, made of metal hollowed out in the center, into which is placed a spring 45, and a piece of fiber 41 shouldered at 46,.to hold the-tension ofthe spring 45,

and allowed to protrude farenough to drag on the cam'39, which is attached to and runs with the gear wheel 38, and so adjusted on the same as to cause a braking action when the card 19 is coming down. The end of the set'screw 44 connects with the spring45, allowing adjustment on the clutch 13, To insure the card carrying belts 51 remaining in the position from which the card 19 is raised until it is again returned, I employ a braking action on the sides of the belt wheel 50 on the bearing 73 which is attached to the case 1, to which is tied at 55, a T-shaped bar 58, having adjustable means for dragging 77 on the sides of the belt wheel 50, held-by the screws 52 and 54-. The motor is heldin place by a block 75, attached to the case 1, to which the motor bracket 7 1 is'attached. The bracket 26 is tied to the case Lat 27 and supports the screw 28 over which is a spring 29, the tension of which is adjusted by turning the screw 28, thus causing flat spring 31, which is tied to the case 1 at 32, to exert pressure against the fiber ring 23, on the hub 24:, at the proper time to hold the load to be carried by it. I

Having described my invention, what I claim is,-

-1'. In-an automaticdisplay device belts, cards spaced along and suspended from said belts; each card adapted to be individually raised from,and returned to, said belts, pulleys over which said belts run, a card elevator reciprocal thru a path intersecting the path-of travel of said belt, a revoluble mem her, I connections between said revoluble member and said elevator for imparting, with each, revolution, a reciprocal movement to said elevator with an interval of rest for saidelevator after each ascension, one of said pulleys being provided with a given' number oftangential grooves, and a pin protruding from said revoluble member disposed to pass thru a tangential groove, with each revolution of said member.

2. In an automatic display device belts,

cards spaced along and suspended from said belts; each card adaptedto be individually raised from, and returned to, said belts, pulleys over which said belts run, a card elevatorreciprocalthru a path intersecting the path of travel of said belt, a revoluble member, connections between said revoluble member and said elevator for imparting, with each revolution, a reciprocal movement to said elevator with an interval of rest for said elevator after each ascension, one of said pulleys being provided with a given number of tangential grooves, and a pin protruding from said revoluble member disposed to pass thru a tangential groove, with each revolution of said member, to move the belt to advance same one card at a time, and means operable by said revoluble member to cause a reverse movement of said pulleys after said pin has passed thru the last of the given number of said grooves.

3. In an automatic display device a reciprocal card elevator, power driven means for causing, the elevatorto ascend and descend with an interval of rest after each ascension,'cards, a card carrier adapted to be advanced intermittently in a fixed-path intersecting the path of travel of the ,elevator, and power driven means synchronized with the elevator and operating just prior to each ascension to advance the card carrier, and means whereby the power driven means is temporarily disconnected from the elevator to provide for the period of rest, and a brake acting on said card'elevator to hold same in elevated position during said period.

4. In an-automatic display device a reciprocal card elevator, power driven means for causing the elevator .10,lascendand. ;.de .scend iwithian interval of rest zaifiter each ascension cards, a card iearrieradaptedto be. advanced intermittently in aefixed path intersecting the path of travel oft. the elevator, and power driveniineanssynchronized with the elevator and operating just prior ;to each ascensioirto advance the, card can irier, and means whereby the power idr iven means is temporanily disconnected from the elevator to provide fortheperiod of rest. and .a brake, constantly acting on the elevator to provide for minimizing the ,load changes of the elevator, and; ion-holding th elevator frictionally in elevated position.

5.- Iii/an automatic display deviee,,ia movable card carrier, cards spaced along. same in direction ofimovement, a cardelevator reciprocal in a path which intersects the ,path ,oftravel ,of the card-carrier, andppower n'ieans connected-to the cardelevator and card Carrier so;.,that the elevator recipro cates while the card carrier is shifted step by step to; bring successive cards into the patlnot' movement oi-the elevator while same ,is below the card carrier, means whereby the card elevator ;is temporarily tliSCOn11ected from the power lneans while the elevatoris in display position and friction means acting constantly on the elevator.

lnian automaticdisplay device, a,,pair toi -spaced ,belts, pulleys; positively driving said belts, ,cards,;a ,wire to-each card pass ing thruthe respective card 7 and protruding ;lro1n eatlrend said cards suspended .on.;s aid belts with the-wires transversely;disposed andwith ,the ends (of the wires protruding o r sp c v belts, a ca d e va o recip ocal thru a path intersecting the path of travel ofsaid belts, saidelevator adapted n each reciprocation .toraisea card, within ,i-ts oath .to display positionand netnrn sarne to original position andto move below the ,originatposition of thereturned card :before, beginning a a subsequent, ascension; said elevator when below said original position of the returned a card, permitting of advance movement of said belts .to bringa succeeding card into the ,pathro'f traveliof said elevat-or.

7.11; an automatic display device,,a pair of spa-cedbelts, pulleys positively,;drivi ng said belts, cards, a wire to ,each-cardvpassing thru the respective, card and protruding from each end said, cards suspended on said beltswith the wires transversely,g disposed and with the ends of the wires prot-ruding over respective belts, a card elevatorreciprocal 'thru a. path intersecting, the path of travel of saidybelts, said clevator adapted von each reciprocation to raise a card within ,its path to display position and return same to originaliposition and toanove below the original position 10f the, {returned card; be fore beginning a subsequent? ascension said cover respective beltsa card of the returned elevator while-said elevator simult neou y port1on ofthe, length of said, belts to -pass thru a hor zontal said. belts With v of ,said, elevator card ,to ,be 1 raised, displayed, and returned a rack vmovable in a given direction verse the ClIIVIllg-JDBHHS ZLHCl bf l s sa d rank movable nto. and, out of, mesh, respectively elevator '.:W:l (below saidv origina p sit n jfrt re urned ca d, P m tt nghindranc nmvementofsaid belts to bring a Succeeding card into the; patlrof travel of said elevator, and means for 1 imparting such, advance movement to said belts, and pnlleyswlrile the elevator is below the nOliInalposition ot the e urn d card- 8; 1n an u;ton1 a;tic display device, a pair of pe ed elt pul y po i ively d i in sai vbelt cards-ear t eac Ca P s i-ng thrugthe respective card and protruding from each end said cards suspended ,on said belts with; the wines transversely disposed andwith the ends, ,of the wires,- protruding elevator gIIQCiP rocal. thru a pathintersecting the; path of r v of sai belt sai e eva adan dnn e h ec pro at on tera e a card Wi hin ts path to ,display position andreturn same to or g nal 5 position and to 1 move below a the or ginal position of the returned card beiore beginningl a subsequent ascenSiOII; said elevator when, belowsaidoriginal vposition card, permitting of advance movement of-said ,belts to ibr ing a succeeding card into the path of travel ,of said elevator, and means for imparting such advance movement tosaid belts and PlellLGYSyWhiIBlthG is below, the ,normal position of ,the returned card, and other ,ineans operable after the; elevator has returned; the last of the ,cards, to reverse, the ,pulleys and belts ,is still below the-said normal, position. i i I 9., In an automatic display idevice,,apair of spaced belts driving means and guidin means for, said ,belts ,to drive, and guide sanie (means, arranged to cause qpet r c ds sp lr one, and ,snspendedi neely by, said belts, are

t iplf cal card elevator reciprocal thru avertical ,path which rintersects the said horizontal path, whereby intermittent. advance of synchronized reciprocation will cause each @successive to the belts, a ,constantly, revoluble pinion,

,vator whereby a card ,is raised, ,displayed revolua tu to; re-

tion to advance the belts one card at,

i s d r nioa mean -fo sn ringsaid rack into mesh with SfllClgPll'liQll, atter the belts have :been intermittently moved agiven distance forwardly, and other means ;to move. said, rack out of mesh with v said pinion after, the belts have been returned. a

,given d stance connections between said pinioni and ele- 1;

' 10. Inanautomatic display device; a pair of spaced belts, driving, means and guidlng means for said belts'to driveand guide same simultaneously; means'arra'nged to cause a portion of the length o1 said belts to pass thru a horizontal path, cards spaced along, and suspended--treely by, said belts, a reciprocal card elevator reciprocal thr-u-a vertical path which intersects the-said horizontal path, whereby intermittent advance of said belts with synchronized reciprocation of said elevator will cause each successive card to be raised, displayed andreturned to the belts, a constantly revoluble pinion, connections between said pinion and elevator whereby a card is raised, displayed and'returned during each revolution ofthe pinion, means'on said'pinion to-connect with one ofsaid driving means" at each "revolution to advance the belts one card at a'time, a rack movable in a givendirection to reverse the driving means and belts, said rack mov- 'able into and out of mesh respectively with belts. V

11. Inan automatic display device, a pair of spaced belts each having lugs spaced along a part of their length with the lugs of one belt registering with the'lugs of the other belt, wires removably suspended trans verscly of the spaced belts said wires being held spaced from each other inparallel relation by said lugs, cards, one for each wire, each suspended from the corresponding wire between said belts, means for intermittently moving said belts' 'forwardly one card at a time, anda card elevatorreciprocal in arpath intersecting the pathot travel of the card carrying portion of said belts, said elevator reciprocal from a point below said belts to'a point above said belts and arranged to lift a wire and a card which is in its path.

12. In an automatic display device, a constantly reciprocating member, a reciprocal card elevator intermittently driven by the reciprocating member so that a card after being raised will remain lndisplay position for an interval during WlllClilllle elevator is out of engagement with the recipa rocating member, a card carrier adapted to be advanced across the path of movement of said elevator whereby cards may be successivelyl raised, displayed and returned to the carrier, and braking means acting on said elevator while same, is out of driven engagement with, the reciprocating member. I 13; In an automatic display device, a constantlyreciprocating rack, a card elevator,

a card carrier movable across the path of movement of the rack, another rack drlvlng saidcard elevator, a gear so associated with the racks that the first named rack will be intermittently out of mesh with the gear so thatthe card elevator will have an interval of rest after each ascension, and friction meansactingon :said gear to hold the elevator frictionally during the intermission.

14. 'In'an automatic display device,'a movable card carrier, a reciprocal elevator movingin a 'pathcrossing that of the card carrier, means for advancing the card carrier intermittently so that a card is lifted from the card carrier and returned after being displayed while the carrier is temporarily motionless, a pinion, areciprocal rack connected to said elevator and constantly in mesh with said pinion, a constantly reciprocating rack meshing intermittently with said pinion, and a brake arranged to hold the elevator and pinion motionless while the lastnamed rack is out of mesh with said pinion. I

15.- In an automatic display device,a movable card carrier, a' reciprocal'elevator moving in "a path crossing that of the card carrier, means for advancing the card carrier intermittently so that a card is lifted from the card carrier and returned after being displayed while the carrier is temporarily motionless, a pinion, a reciprocal rack connected to said elevator and constantly in fmesh with said pinion, a constantly reciprocating rack meshing intermittently with said pinion, and power means tor constantly reciprocating said last named rack, a braking member for said gear, and friction 'means injcontact with said braking memberi- 1 16. In anautom'atic display device, a card elevatoncard's, a card carrier for same movableto'feed cards successively to the elevator, constantly moving power means adapted to intermittently engage the elevatorto create successive advance and retractile, movements thereof with accompanying intermission'for display, and braking means associated with said elevator to hold 'same'when not engaged by saiclconstantly moving means.

17 In'an automatic display device, a card elevatorya rack moving therewith, a pinion meshing constantly with said rack, another rack," power means for constantly reciprocating said last named rack, the latter rack arranged to mesh with the pinion throughout a part" only of each advance and retrograde stroke, and a brake for saidpinion.

18. In an automatic display device having a card elevator, means for causing the elevator to ascend and remain motionless for an interval in display position, and subsequently descend, said means comprising a rack operating the elevator directly, a pin ion meshing constantly therewith, another rack constantly reciprocating and arranged to engage the pinion for a part only of each of its strokes, and a brake to hold the pinion motionless While the last named rack is out of engagement with the pinion.

19. In an automatic display device having a card elevator, means for causing the elevator to ascend and remain motionless for an interval in a display position, and subsequently descend, said means comprising a rack operating the elevator directly, a pinion meshing constantly therewith, another rack constantly reciprocating and arranged to engage the pinion for a part only of each of its str0kes,-and a brake acting on said pinion.

20. In an automatic display device having a card elevator, means for Causing the elevator to ascend and remain motionless for an interval. in a display position, and subsequently descend, said means comprising a rack operating the elevator directly, a pinion meshing constantly therewith, another rack constantly reciprocating and arranged to engage the pinion for a part only of each of its strokes, and friction means acting to minimize load changes on the elevator and to hold same frictionally in display position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name.

WVILLIAM O. CUTLER. 

